Lesson 7

*May 11 - 17

Matthew 24: Jesus' Sermon on Apocalyptic Prophecy

Sabbath Afternoon
May 11

MEMORY TEXT: "At that time the sign of the Son of
Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn.
They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power
and great glory'"
(Matthew
24:30, NIV).

ONE OF THE MOST DISCUSSED DISCOURSES
OF CHRIST'S LIFE appears in
Matthew
24, where Jesus outlines the events that will precede His second coming.
Jesus begins His apocalyptic description of the future with events that will
happen during the lifetime of the disciples. From there He moves into the
future, through what we often call the Dark Ages, and ends with His return
in glory.

How interesting that He starts with pagan Rome, the fourth kingdom in
Daniel
7. Perhaps He does this because pagan Rome is the kingdom that was ruling
the world when Jesus gave His talk. Then comes a period of tribulation and
terror
(Matt.
24:21) during the Middle Ages (the 1,260 years prophetically depicted
in
Daniel
7), followed by the signs that indicate that the tribulation has ended
(vs.
29). Finally, His talk concludes with the last-days' delusions
(vss.
24-27) and the glorious return of our Lord
(vss.
30, 31).

Jesus begins His discourse with the political situation of His own time and
then follows it up through history until it culminates in His second coming.

Using
Matthew
24:1-3, write down the background setting for Jesus' discourse on the
end of the age. Look at such issues as the temple, the time in Christ's ministry
when He speaks these words, to whom He was talking and where. How do these
factors fit in with what He says about the signs that precede His coming?

Though the immediate subject of this
discourse is the fall of Jerusalem, this subject is linked to a much wider
onethe signs of Christ's coming and the end of the age. The fall of
Jerusalem is, here, a symbol of the world prior to the Second Coming. Notice,
too, that the disciples, by their questions in verse 3, reveal some knowledge,
even before He left them the first time, that Christ would be coming again!

Based on the questions they asked, what were the main concerns of the
disciples?
Matt.
24:3.

The disciples asked three questions that Jesus used to develop His apocalyptic
message.

The first question" ' When will this [destruction of the temple
happen?' " (NIV)is addressed by Jesus in
Matthew
24:15-20. The second" 'What will be the sign of your coining?
' " (NIV)is discussed in
verses
21-31. The third'' 'What will be the sign ... of the end of
the age?' '' (NIV)is dealt with in
verses
4-14. In other words, Jesus began His talk by answering the last question
first (end of the age); then He moved to the first question (fall of Jerusalem);
and finally He dealt with the central question, the most important
oneChrist's return in glory. Apparently, Jesus' main interest is located
not in the fall of the city but in the end of the age and His second advent.
The rest of the sermon deals with proper preparation for that event.

Ellen White wrote that "Had He [Jesus] opened to His disciples future
events as He beheld them, they would have been unable to endure the sight.
In mercy to them He blended the description of the two great crises, leaving
the disciples to study out the meaning for themselves."The
Desire of Ages, p. 628. What
can we learn from that principle in how we deal with others?

Monday May 13

In
Matthew
24:5, Jesus reveals, "For many shall come in my name. saying, I am Christ:
and shall deceive many." How amazingly have these words been fulfilled! All
through history, up through today. people have claimed to be Christexactly
as Jesus had warned.

In what ways could you use Christ's prediction about false christs, so
accurately and undeniably fulfilled, to help convince someone of Christ's
claim as the Messiah and of the validity of the Bible as a whole? How does
this prophecy, so limited and specific, differ from His predictions that
there would be famines and wars and earthquakes?

What other religious, social, and natural events did Jesus predict would
precede His coming?
Matt.
24:4-8.

Two things must be noticed regarding these predicted events. First, they
are not signs of the end but events that will happen while God's people wait
for the end
(Matt.
24:6, 8). Second. these events contain potential spiritual and psychological
threats to the Lord's servants. For example, Jesus mentioned false messiahs
in order to alert His followers to that specific and dangerous deception.
Meanwhile, natural disasters could cause doubt about God and His love in
the minds of many believers. Christ's warning of these events beforehand,
however, does help alleviate those doubts, because we have been warned about
them by God Himself.

What was the one specific sign that Jesus said would lead to the end?
Matt.
24:14.

Though Jesus described the various trials and tribulations that His followers
would face (persecution, prejudice, apostasy, treason, and absence of love),
none of these is "the sign" of the end (in
verse
3 His disciples asked for the sign [as in only one sign] of the end).
The sign is the preaching of the gospel to the world, "and then the end will
come"
(vs.
14, NIV).

Many people use the exact things that Jesus said would happenwars,
famines, disasters, diseaseas reasons not to believe in God. How
does Jesus' warning about events blunt, or weaken, that argument? Or
does it
not?

Tuesday May 14

What was Jesus' answer to the question "When will this [the destruction
of the temple] happen?"
(Matt.
24:3, 15, 16, NIV).

Jesus is referring to
Daniel
9:27, where the destruction of Jerusalem was predicted. The Lord points,
with prophetic authority, to the fulfillment of the prediction, which happened
through the Roman armies that would destroy the temple and leave it desolate.
The word abomination in the Bible refers to idolatrous practices,
and even to those who engage in those practices. The idolatrous Roman armies
are the abomination that causes desolation, the desolation of the temple
and the city
(Luke
21:20).

What specific instructions did Jesus give to His followers living in Judea
at the time of the fall of Jerusalem?
Matt.
24:16-18.

The counsel given by Jesus emphasizes two aspects: first, the need to seek
a place of refuge or safety to avoid death or unnecessary suffering as a
result of the military attack against Jerusalem; second, the need for immediate
action. There will he no time to gather personal belongings; delay could
be fatal.

Fortunately, the followers of Jesus heeded His words, and not one believer
perished during the destruction of the city (Ellen G. White, The Desire
of Ages, p. 630)a great
example of faith that results in works, in obedience. Though these followers
of Christ were saved only by faith in Him and not by works, they manifested
their faith by obeying Christ's words to leave the city when the armies
approached. In short, they obeyed, and that obedience led to their being
spared an incredible amount of suffering. All that one has to do is read
about the siege of Jerusalem and of the barbarity that ensued (horrendous,
even by today's standards) to begin to appreciate how simple obedience had
spared these people from suffering.

What examples can you see, either in your own life or in the lives
of others, in which this principlethat of obedience to God sparing
people great painhas been manifested? At the same time, what
examples, if any, have you seen of those who obey, suffering directly because
of their obedience?

Wednesday May 15

Describe, in your own words, the great tribulation predicted by Jesus
in
Matthew
24:21, 22.

From the fall of Jerusalem, Jesus points
to the great tribulation depicted in
Daniel
7:25. Jesus saw "long centuries of darkness. centuries for His church
marked with blood and tears and agony. Upon these scenes His disciples could
not then endure to look, and Jesus passed them by with a brief mention"
Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages,
pp. 630, 631.

Two points about this terrible phase of Western history should be noticed:
(1) God sets a time limit to it (according to
Daniel
7:25, it will last 1,260 years); (2) it is unequaled in world history.
"The tribulation of the 1260 year-days was the greatest in history in that
it continued for centuries and from time to time produced extremely high
percentages of mortality."C. Mervyn Maxwell, God Cares, vol.
2, p. 35.

That specific tribulation, mentioned in
Daniel
7:25, is not the same as the one mentioned in
Daniel
12:1, 2. This one is also unique but "will occur in connection with the
resurrection at the second coming. It will occur after the court of judgment
described in
Daniel
7:9-14 has finished examining the books. It will bring terror only to
the wicked. God's people will he delivered from it. 'every one' of
them."Maxwell, p. 34.

If Satan was defeated at the Cross, why do such times of tribulation and
violence still occur? How do time following verses help answer, at least
somewhat, this difficult question?

Explain, as best as you can, wars, famine, and tragedy in the context
of the great controversy between Christ and Satan. How does knowing
the great-controversy motif help us understand how we are to relate to these
things?

Thursday May 16

Which signs will take place before the sign of the Second Coming appears?
Matt.
24:29.

Jesus describes a series of cosmic signs
associated with the end of the great tribulation. Adventists have identified
them with the Lisbon earthquake in 1755, the darkening of the sun on May
19, 1780, and the meteor shower of November 13, 1833. The timing of those
events, as well as the order in which they occurred, make them a fitting
fulfillment of the prophecy.

It is important to notice that between 1700 and 1844 a series of significant
prophetic events occurred. "That sequence can be outlined as follows: (1)
a great earthquakel755; (2) the Dark Dayl780: (3) judgment
upon the beast1798; (4) the falling of the stars1833; (5) Judgment
beginning in heaven1844."William Shea, "Cosmic Signs Through
History," Ministry, February 1999. The Lord was clearly calling our
attention to the fulfillment of apocalyptic prophecies.

What was Jesus' answer to the question in
verse
3, "'What will be the sign of your coming?'" (NIV). See
Matt.
24:30.

It is difficult to know what Jesus meant when He said '"At that time the
sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky'"
(vs.
30, NIV). This event is followed by the mourning of the nations and His
glorious appearance. Bible students have speculated about the nature of that
sign but have not provided an acceptable interpretation. Ellen G. White comments,
"Soon there appears in the east a small black cloud, about half the size
of a man's hand. It is the cloud which surrounds the Saviour and which seems
in the distance to be shrouded in darkness. The people of God know this to
be the sign of the Son of man ."The Great
Controversy, p. 640.

"And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and
they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of
heaven to the other"
(Man.
24:31). What Is Jesus referring to here? What other verses
in the Bible elaborate on this event? Find as many other verses as
you can that deal with this topic, place them together, and see what kind
of picture the Lord has painted for us on this wonderful promise.

1. Purpose of the signs of the end. It was not Jesus' purpose to expound
upon a series of events that we could use to establish the date of His coming.
Instead, He talks about the signs so they will keep fresh in our minds the
promise of His return. Jesus mentions events that would happen throughout
history. and whenever one of them takes place, His people make the connection
with the Second Coming. Second, each event identified as a sign by the community
of believers keeps alive the element of expectation and hope. They know that
the Lord has not forgotten them and that history is moving toward God's appointed
goal. Third, the signs have the purpose of protecting them from deceptions.
Satan is going to try to deceive them, but Jesus told them how to distinguish
truth from falsehood. They must be watchful while waiting for the true
manifestation of Christ in the clouds of heaven.

2. This generation. In
Matthew
24:34 "this generation" could designate those listening to Him or a type
of people ("evil generation") or even a specific ethnic group. Any of the
last two makes sense in the context.

3. The great tribulation.
Matthew
24:21 gives the impression that the tribulation takes place during the
fall of Jerusalem, mentioned in the previous verse, hut such an impression
is not required by the Greek text. The expression "for then," at the beginning
of
verse
21, is used sometimes to introduce something new in the distant
futurein this case, something that took place long after the destruction
of the city.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1.

In
Matthew
24:35, Jesus said, "'Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will
never pass away" (NIV). What a prediction! By reading that verse
now, or any of His discourses centuries after He said them, you are taking
part in the fulfillment of this prediction. How could a verse like
this be used in
witnessing?

2.

With Christ's words so clear regarding the manner of His coming, why
have so many people been deceived by false christs through the ages? Read
specifically
Matthew
24:24.

SUMMARY: Jesus' apocalyptic sermon follows the content of the visions
of Daniel but puts a major emphasis on the need to be alert against evil
deceptions and perseverance in
faith.

Village of Thieves

Levi Laput

I stopped to rest in the shade of a tree. I could feel the sweat dripping
down my hack. As I rested on the mountainside, I saw a familiar man from
the lowlands approaching.

"Going to that Manobo village again?" he greeted.

"Yes," I answered.

"I'll never visit that village," he continued. "Those people are thieves,
criminals. Whenever animals disappear from nearby villages, their carcasses
are found in that village. And when the villagers are confronted with their
theft, they answer with bows and arrows, spears, and bolos. Why would you
want to go there?"

"I am a student missionary," I said. "I teach in the village school, and
I tell them about the love of Jesus."

"Those people are stiff-necked thieves and criminals," he responded. "No
good will ever come out of that dirty village." With those words the man
turned and left.

As I started up the mountainside toward the village, I pondered the man's
words. Then God gently reminded me that no matter how wicked they are, these
are His people. Jesus died for them.

Time passed. Later, in October 2000, word went out to believers in neighboring
Manobo villages that a baptism would be held in the village of thieves and
criminals. One church elder said. "I never thought I would see anyone from
this village accept Jesus as their Savior. What a great event!"

The smiles on the faces of the 10 baptismal candidates told the story of
changed lives. Then my partner approached the four men. They wanted to be
baptized too. But these four were troublemakers, the very thieves my lowlander
friend had told me about.

"We cannot baptize them," I whispered to my partner "They don't know what
they are asking or even what we believe." But my partner urged me to interview
them anyway.

"While you were giving Bible studies to our families," one man said. "we
were outside listening. We are sinners, but with God's help we have gained
victory over our vices."

I acknowledged that God had indeed changed these men's lives. Who was I to
forbid them baptism when God had already written their names in the Book
of Life? That day we welcomed 14 precious souls from the village of criminals
and thieves into the kingdom of Heaven!

Levi Laput is a student missionary from Mountain View College to the Manobo
village of Log Deck-5 in southern Philippines.